Method and apparatus for straightening housings



June 125, fil* A. ARUTUNQFF METHOD AND APPARATUS FORv STRAIGHTENING HOSINGS Filed Nov; 4, 1937 'III' III Patented June 25, 1940 PATENT OFFICE lVIETI-IOD`AND APPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING HOUSINGS Armais Arutunoff, Bartlesville, Okla., assigner to Reda Pump Company, Bartlesville, Okla., a corporation of Delaware Application November 4, 1937, Serial No. 172,758

4 Claims.

My invention relates to a method of straightening housings and more particularly to straightening housings for deep well pumps.

A deep well pump must necessarily be of ccm- 6 paratively small cross sectional diameter with respect to its length, in a deep well, for example, 5000 feet in depth. The limitation of the cross sectional dimension of the well casing, which is usually about seven inches, necessitates the employment of a large number of stages. The stages `may vary from 108 in number to 195 in number,` depending upon the type of impeller employed. This necessitates the provision of a pump housing upwards of 20 feet in length. In a centrifugal pump, for example, the construction will be comprised of alternate diffuser housings and impellers, the impellers being driven by a shaft extending therethrough. If the pump housing is deflected, that is, if the axes of the impellers are not in substantial alignment, the deflection of the shaft will be such as to destroy the unit after a short interval of pumping. If the deection is great, the added load may cause overheating of the motor and consequent destruction.

One object of my invention is to provide a novel method of straightening a pump housing of great length with respect to its diameter.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method for straightening elongated tubular 30 housings.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel apparatus for straightening elongated housings.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawing which forms part of the instant specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the 1 various views;

Figure 1 is an elevation, with parts in section, of one form of apparatus embodying my invention and capable of carrying out the method of my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view, drawn on an enlarged scale, taken on a line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a view, drawn on an enlarged scale, taken along the line3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional View drawn on an enlarged scale, taken along the line 4 4 of Figure l.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken alongr the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

More particularly referring now to the drawing, the tubular housing to be straightened is indicated by the reference numeral l. It is supported at one end for rotation by a bearing 2, mounted on a suitable support 3 which is in turn supported by the body Il of a lathe. The head stock 5 of the lathe carries a chuck 6 which clamps the other end of the housing I which is to be 5` straightened. The carriage I of the lathe supports a universal joint t which supports a rod 9. A support I carries a gauge l I which is provided with a gauge nger I2. Within the tubular housing I, to be straightened, I position an expanding 10- anvil comprising external members I3 and an internal expanding member Ill. The members I3 are provided with bores I5 through which extend a plurality of stud bolts I6. The bolts are of smaller diameter than the bores I5. The threaded 15' ends of the stud bolts are seated in a ring Il, to which is secured a tube I8 which extends through the head stock of the lathe and is supported by a pedestal I9, as can readily be seen by reference to Figure l. The external anvil members I3 are 20 supported between the .ring ll and the ring 2U as can readily be seen by reference to Figure 2. 'I'he members I3 are internally tapered and the member I4 is tapered in an opposite direction. Secured to the member It is a rod 2l which ex- 25 tends through the tube I3. The outer end oi the rod 2l is threaded at 22 and is provided with a nut 23 and a washer 24 which bears against the end of tube I8. It will be readily apparent that tube I8, being secure'd to the ring I l, and rod ZI 30 being secured to the member I 4, that, upon sete ting up of the nut 23, the member Ill will tend to be forced into the ring of members I3. Due to the fact that the bores I5 are of larger diameter than the bolts I6, the members I 3 will tend to 35 move radially outward, thus clamping the expanding anvil within the tube I.

The other end of member lll is provided with a seat 25 in which is adapted to seat the pointed end 23 of the rod 9.

The universal joint 8 comprises a ring 2l' which is supported by a standard 28 carried in a socket formed in the member 29 of the carriage l. The ring 2l carries pivot points 3U and 3I which pivotally support a ring 32. The ring 32 carries 45 pivot points 33 and 3G which pivotally support a ball member 35. The ball member is provided with a bore 36 through which the rod 9 extends. The end of the ball member is provided with a threaded portion 3l which is in turn provided 50 with cutaway portions 38, to provide for a ilexing movement. The threaded portion is tapered and adapted to receive a nut 39 which, when screwed to the left as viewed in Figure 5, will clamp the rod 9 in position. The gauge II may be of any 55 suitable type, which will indicate the extent of movement of the gauge nger I2.

In operation, the expanding anvil is positioned Within the housing l to be straightened. The pointed end 2@ of the rod 9 is seated in the seat 25 of the member I4 and the clamping nut 35i operated to clamp the rod in position, supported by the universal joint 8. The gauge finger l2 contacts a portion of the rod 9. The head stock 5 is then rotated by means of a suitable belt drive (not shown) acting through one of the drive pulleys di). If the housing l is deflected, vthat is, if the portion of the housing to which the expanding anvil is secured is not in exact alignment With the ends of the housing, the seat 25 will describe a circle depending upon the displacement or deviation of that portion of the housing to which the expanding anvil is secured. This will cause the outer end lll oi' the rod 9 to describe a circle. When the 10W point of the housing is uppermost, the end lll of the rod 9 will be highest, thus moving gauge finger l2 into the gauge the greatest distance and indicating the greatest throw.

Referring now to Figure 2, it Will be observed that a construction line l2 has been drawn from which it will be readily observed that the housing l is deected downwardly, that is, thelow point or the concave portion of the housing is uppermost. An observer at the gauge may stop the rotation of the housing at the point of greatest deviation, by any suitable control means (not shown).

One would think that, in order to straighten the housing, hammering should take place at the high point. The contrary, however, is the fact. An electric hammer l2 is provided and the peening takes place in the Vicinity of the point indicated byf the arrow 413 in Figure 2. During peening, the metal of the housing is hammered on the expanding anvil, elongating the upper metal surface of the housing longitudinally. It is understood, of course, that during hammering, or peening, the electric hammer '52' is moved about slightly so that the peening is spread over a slight area adjacent the arrow 43, that is, the low point or concavity. The compression and expansion of the metal lengthens the dimension and warps the housing baci; into line. The extent of peening, of course, is governed by the extend of deviation. After peening, a short interval, the housing is again rotated and the gauge watched. When the center of the expanding anvil is exactly in line With the axis of the housing I no deviation of the outer end of the rod il! will occur, during rotation, and the housing is straight at this point. When this has been achieved, the clamping nut 39 is loosened, the nut 23 is backed ofi and the expanding anvil moved to another position adjacent the point which has been straightened, the anvil .re-expanded, the rod 9 re-clamped and the operation repeated.

It is understood, of course, that the process may be practiced to any desired extent, depending upon the accuracy desired. It is possible, by means of my method, to substantially obtain accurate alignment of an elongated housing. Frequently, deviations may occur in two directions. When this happens, the point of greatest deviation is first corrected and then the minor deviation or deviations are corrected until alignment is achieved.

It will be clear to those skilled in the art that I have accomplished the objects of my invention. I am enabled to straighten elongated housings in general. The straightening action is accomplished by elongating the metal on the low side of the housing, that is, when a housing is deviated or`bowed, the peening takes place upon the concave or low side, in order to elongate the metal on this side, which elongation of metal straightens the deviation.

Having thus described my invention, what l.' claim is:

l. A method of straightening a bowed metal tubular housing including the steps of positioning an anvil within said housing and peening the metal only upon the concave side of the housing and upon said anvil to elongate the metal of the vl'lousing suiiiciently to straighten the housing.

A method of straightening an elongated tubular metal housing including the steps of successively positioning an anvil Within said housing and peening the metal of said housing only at successive concave places therealong against said anvil to elongate the metal of the housing at said concave places sufciently to straighten the housing.

3. A. method of straightening a tubular housing including the steps of positioning an anvil within said housing, determining the eccentricity of said housing at said anvil, peening the metal of the housing wall only on the concave side of the point of greatest eccentricity against said anvil to elongate the metal of said housing at said concave side, and repeating the above steps successively at a plurality of separated points along the length of said housing to straighten the housing.

4. In an apparatus for straightening tubular housings, an anvil adapted to be positioned within said housing, means for expanding said anvil, means for rotating said housing, a gauging rod, means for universally supporting said rod at a point intermediate the ends thereof, means for positioning one end of said rod Within said housing at the axesv thereof in the vicinity of saidvanvil, a gauge positioned without said housing for determining the amplitude of motion of the other end of said rod, and means for peening the exterior of said housing.

ARMAIS ARI'UNOFF. 

